PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction Winners
*2000 Donna Gershten for Kissing the Virgin’s Mouth (HarperCollins) *2002 Gayle Brandeis for The Book of Dead Birds (HarperCollins) *2004 Marjorie Kowalski Cole for Correcting the Landscape (HarperCollins) *2006 Hillary Jordan for Mudbound (Algonquin… More
The PEN Pod: Recovering Lost Stories and How They Can Inspire the Present with Fatima Shaik
“In the Economy Society, their motto was ‘to help one another and teach one another, and put out a hand to suffering humanity.’ Now, I think that resonates with… More
The PEN Pod: Reckoning with “the Big Lie” with Suzanne Nossel
“It’s not simply just a matter of speech when you’re actually threatening people, much less using the power of government to make good on those threats.” More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Asha Dahya
“It is so common to feel alone in our lived experiences, but once we see more and more people share their stories, we start to get that sense of… More
Open Letter to the President of East Tennessee State University
We write to share our concerns for the First Amendment rights of members of the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) men’s basketball team. More
As Putin and Lukashenko Meet, Russia’s Role in Fueling Belarus Crackdown Can’t Be Overlooked
Do visa restrictions really matter to Alexander Lukashenko and his closest circle? And if not, then what is important to them? More
In Letter to the UN, Imprisoned Iranian Writer Nasrin Sotoudeh Protests Executions
In this letter, jailed Iranian writer Nasrin Sotoudeh appeals to the UN and the global community to pay attention to the unjust executions taking place in her country. More
The PEN Pod: The Secret History of Stan Lee with Abraham Riesman
“What I would hope is that I encourage people to embrace ambiguity when it comes to Stan [Lee]’s life and legacy. Embrace ambiguity.” More
The PEN Pod: On the Conclusion to a Landmark Lawsuit and Setting the New Precedents of Free Speech with Suzanne Nossel
“It’s not simply just a matter of speech when you’re actually threatening people, much less using the power of government to make good on those threats.” More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Zak Salih
“Pride as a gay man, as a writer—both require one to build up defenses against judgment while simultaneously embracing the vulnerability that comes from making public one’s authentic self.” More
Alert Us
Are you an artist at risk or know someone who is?
PEN America On 
Talking about trust in a COVID vaccine with all the misinformation surrounding it is especially important in communities of color. Join our discussion in talking about this issue with @BorealisPhil and @firstdraftnews on 3/5: https://bit.ly/3e3D5RV.
Advocacy for global human rights is now more important than ever. Join our experts in activating real advocacy efforts around the world at PEN America's Global Free Expression Advocacy Institute for high school and college students. Applications now open! https://bit.ly/3bpiZPg
PEN America joins the global call to immediately release Egyptian @ceu student Ahmed Samir Santawy. Egypt's ongoing assault on academic freedom and free expression is intolerable. https://bit.ly/2NY64w0
